How do we define SIN?

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deception, delusion, experience, faith, following Jesus, listening, Michael Clark, mind, peace, Satan, sin, true faith

Walking with God…
(Photo credit https://revlisad.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/walking-with-god.jpg)

This is another joint article Michael Clark and I wrote together.

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Jesus was without sin because He only did what He saw His Father doing and He only spoke His words. This is why Paul could say that nothing of itself is sin, but only that which is done without faith… which is not doing what our Daddy in Heaven shows us to do and say. Faith is not law keeping. Faith is obeying the Spirit and the wind of the Spirit blows where no man expects it to. We must be free to follow the leading of the Spirit if we are to walk by faith. This is why Peter was sinning when he refused to eat with Gentiles, though the law forbade him to do so, but the Spirit of the NEW covenant often surpasses the law. The apostle Paul told us the following,

“I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.” (Rom 14:14 ESV)

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.” (Titus 1:15 ESV)

There is confusion ahead or… Some other strange spirits you might know

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becoming one, confusion, controlling spirit, demons, discerning the spirits, end time spirit, evil spirits, experience, false spirits, God's voice, light, listening, prayer, Satan, sin, the devil, wisdom

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (Is 30:21 ESV)
Picture taken from https://confessionsslp.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/shutterstock_106645070.jpg

Do we know how easy it is to confuse Satan’s lies with what God has been telling us? I do know how often that happened to me in the past and I am glad to have received continued access to the heart of God so that I immediately sense another spirit in whatever someone tells me. Without even thinking about it, I immediately feel a sort of uneasiness, even a strong feeling of disgust at times, depending on how evil the spirit was who talked to me through others.

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (Jn 8:42-47 ESV)

My Sheep Hear My Voice

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discerning the spirits, ears of the heart, following Jesus, God's love, listening, Oswald Chambers, sheep, shepherd

My Sheep Hear My Voice
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

If we have ever been in love, we know that hearing the voice of the one whom we love can make our heart flutter with anticipation. Well, one might object here that this is a common human experience, however, does it apply to our experience of hearing God just the same? Jesus said,

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (Jn 10:27 ESV)

This is a promise, a statement that assures us that His sheep can discern His voice from others. Jesus “knows” them, i.e., He loves them, and we might assume as well that their love causes them to follow Him eventually. Although there might be many voices every day that talk to us without interruptions, there must be something special about the voice of the One who created us. In order to illustrate what I just tried to explain, I will share my latest “sheep experience” with you. 😉

Faith Comes by Hearing – Only?

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ears of the heart, eyes of the heart, faith, freedom, gospel, hearing, listening, preaching, salvation

Seek The Things That Are Above…
(Photo by Susanne Schuberth)

So often it is stated that faith only comes by hearing and some say if you do not listen to the gospel preached in audible words, you cannot attain faith at all. I often wondered whether that statement was true. Do we know how many people, actually, were able to read and write at the time when the gospel would be preached for the first time? And in the centuries afterwards?

Entering His Rest – but HOW???

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experience, feeling, God's voice, heart, listening, Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, rest, Satan's voice, the new self, the old self

One day, Philipp Melanchthon told his friend Martin Luther, “Martin, this day we will discuss the governance of the universe.” Luther answered, “This day, you and I will go fishing and leave the governance of the universe to God.” What allowed Luther to respond in this way? His knowledge and belief that God could take care of things. As we move close to God, we realize that he will take care of things, and we can rest.

Been There, Done That

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compassion, darkness, experience, God, God's love, heart, Leonid Afremov, light, listening, love, peace, righteousness of God, Satan, talk, thought life, truth

Walking in the Light Despite Darkness (Painting ‘Romantical Love’ by Leonid Afremov)

Just recently it began to dawn on me that many of the misunderstandings we experience every day could be easily avoided if we tried to listen to one another more carefully. We hear someone say something or we read what someone wrote and immediately think, “Oh well – been there, done that,” without thinking further and deeper about what that particular person might have really meant.